Misery and Regret
by cheatscanner
Summary: A short story about the night after the events of Cave Story, following the Best Ending.


This is my first Cave Story fic. I haven't written any stories in years, its 1:00 am, and I had no real plot formulated up for this, so just a forewarning it's all talking and no action.

It wasn't proofread, this is just everything, as it came, nothing read over or corrected if it had been passed up already.

* * *

_A shooting star,_ Quote thought to himself, as he lay on the soft, grassy ground beneath him. He had never seen one before, at least, not to his knowledge. The robot knew it was merely a meteor passing through the atmosphere, but he couldn't help but amuse himself by using a humanoid terminology for the event. He lay silent, not speaking as to not wake the other two that slept nearby.

He looked toward his right, seeing Curly sound asleep, laying her head partially across his arm and chest. He could feel a strong sense of… well, something, towards her. He wasn't able to describe this feeling, however, he knew one thing for sure: He wanted to stay with her for as long as possible. He gazed at her face as she rested soundlessly, her mouth forming a smile that, though seemingly small and weak, pierced his thoughts and filled his systems with feelings of joy and hope. He finally came to a conclusion. _This must be what is called love._

Smiling, and filled with peace, he faced forward and saw Balrog, who sat as still as could be, eyes closed, mind shut. He then lay his head back down, his mind going through the current surroundings.

No moon was out that night, but the stars shone as bright as they could for the three beings that lay at the top of the hill. A long, rocky slope separated Quote, Curly, and Balrog from the lake at the bottom. There were a pair of islands in the middle of the body of water, and they were the only things separating the trio from the other shore.

In the other direction, tall trees stood, marking a dark and spacious forest. It was the perfect place. _I'll let you pick the spot. Just find us a good place, okay? _ He remembered Curly tell Balrog, and that's exactly what he did. The place was great, but Quote could feel, deep inside his systems, that they wouldn't be staying here. The three would eventually find a true home, and a true house. They would live many different places, visiting many different people, both human and mimiga. Though the group wasn't too fond of the idea, he also knew that their time on the island wasn't through. They would return. When and what for he did not know, but he knew it to be so none the less.

As he gazed into the night, the North Star shined as brightly as it could. _The Polar Star_, he chuckled to himself. He grew fond of that weapon, and even now kept it close by his side in its new form of the Spur. It saved his life many times, and undoubtedly would continue to do so. He grazed his weapon with the stroke of his hand.

While still thinking on that previous subject, he heard a noise from the woods behind him. Gripping his weapon, while trying his best not to wake his sleeping partner who lay across his arm, he slowly pulled his arm, which was gripping the Spur, out from beneath her head. He shuffled his body slightly to the left, slowly setting Curly's head on the soft earth beneath her.

With his previously smiling face turned a bit more serious, Quote quickly turned and faced the menacing forest in front of him. Spur in hand and aimed out in front of him, he walked cautiously into the woods, turning, to the left and right with fear and anger, spawning from the will to protect his partners. Well, as much as he liked Balrog, it was his will to protect Curly. He didn't want to lose her again. Not like when he lost her after the core, not like when he almost left her on the island to crash. He did not want to leave her again.

Scouting out the area in his mind, he could still hear whatever it was that was rustling in the forest. It had started out soft, but then the sound got closer and louder, and it moved fast. With a look of urgency, he began to fear when he could not spot the source. Louder still it got, but never loud enough to wake any others, Quote's fear reached its maximum when it stopped. He knew it was close. _Dammit, _he thought, _what is this? Any closer and I'll-_

"As alert as ever, I see," came a voice from above. Quote looked up to see a figure, who had previously blended with the trees, jump off of a branch and land a number of feet in front of him.

Gun pointed straight ahead, the mysterious person gave a smirk. He knew this figure, and had a look of anger on his face, when he spoke: "Misery." It may have been true, what Balrog said about her directing him to save the two robots, however he still didn't know how much to trust her.

Looking past where Quote stood, she saw the second robot laying sound asleep, she had a look of slight suprise and pleasure. She began to step towards the sleeping female, and with a seemingly tempting voice, just for fun, she continued, "Oh, so you rescued the human turned mimiga, and saved the girl of your dreams! Aren't you the hero!" She laughed.

Before she could get any closer, he stepped in front of her, still aiming steadfastly. "Stay away from her!"

"Oh, hah, you seem so tense" she said, jumping to land in her invisible seat in the air. Floating up and down, she continued, "For a robot, you really are quite alive. "

He kept his spur aimed at her; he wasn't planning on letting his guard down. With a serious look and a nonexistent smile, he sternly asked, "What do you want from us?"

The little witch began to float around him in a slow circle, as she tossed her head backwards for a moment, her blue hair blown slightly by the small breeze flowing past. Looking forward, she stuck her right hand's index finger out; slowly lowering it, the Spur magically lowered its aim as well. "Is that really how you treat visitors?"

Quote's mind held steadfast, however, and he quickly raised his firearm back up, speaking in no less of a serious voice, "I'm serious. Why are you here?"

Misery was saddened and slightly dismayed at this, and she descended to stand on the ground, with a straight and slightly sorrowful face. "Alright," she said, lacking any form of joy or pleasure in her voice, "If you really want to know, I came to check up on you three. Make sure Balrog didn't drop you off in the middle of the ocean or something." He began to feel more comfortable around her, and lowered his gun a bit, but not completely letting it down.

"Heh," she chuckled slightly, "Actually, the real reason I came is…" she stopped herself there, slightly sorrowful, and embarrassed, though no less serious than before.

"Well?" Quote said, with more curiosity than malice in his voice.

"I came…" she continued, hesitantly, "I guess I came to thank you." Quote completely let his guard down now, gun by his side, not actually ready if anything were to happen.

And nothing did happen. Misery was being truthful, and she continued. "I didn't lie to you before. I really didn't care about the island. But not for the reasons that you would expect." She let her thoughts flow freely through her mind and her voice, while looking off into the sky, "I was a slave. That island… I was the crown bearer's eternal servant, cursed to a lifeless existence. But if the island were to crash down out of the sky, well…," she began to be unsure, "I'm not sure, but… I had hoped that if the island was destroyed, maybe somehow the curse would be broken. But you, you were better than I could have ever wished. Not only did you defeat the doctor but you broke the curse on me and Balrog," She chuckled, finally adding a smile, "Heh, you even beat me. And no one beats me," she said jokingly.

"Quote……?" came a voice from behind him. Misery gazed as Quote turned around. Curly, having been awakened by their voices, turned her head to see the two looking back at her. When she recognized Misery, the sleepiness on her face was quickly washed away and replaced with a form of anger. "You…," she said, "Quote, what is she doing here?!"

"Curly, wait," he began, to be interrupted by his blue haired acquaintance.

"So, Quote's your name. It's finally nice to meet you," she said with a slight laugh in her voice.

Curly wouldn't let her keep going; she stood up with a slight look of anger and her face. "What are you doing here?" she said with resolve and a volume that Quote feared would wake Balrog. "Balrog knows and trusts you, but I still don't! The last time we met you threw me into the labyrinth and did who knows what to the Colon children!" It began to be apparent that her anger was turning into sadness, as Curly began to tear up. "So you had better have a good reason to be here!" she said, raising her Nemesis. Her voice still strong but her physical appearance showed wavering resolve.

"Curly, I…"

"It's Curly Brace to you!" She spouted, interrupting Misery from continuing. Misery had a strange and slightly distressed look on her face, until Curly's emotions showed she would let her continue.

Misery sighed, "What if I told you that the children, no, all the mimigas were safe?" Curly became less hostile. "I'm sorry… for everything I did to both of you. The Demon Crown made me do it, yes, but I still have to take responsibility for it. You've set me free, and I've done nothing to repay either of you. I've done nothing but harm you both."

By now, Curly had dropped her aim and had put her gun down.

Quote began to speak again after a short silence. "Misery…"

"Please, stop," she requested, trying to keep her carefree composure, though not doing too good of a job at it. "I've had enough of this silly emotional stuff for one night." She away from them, small white lights appeared from her hands as she held them forward, and from all Quote or Curly could tell, she was casting a spell. Misery turned back to Quote, holding a heart-shaped crystal. Before Curly could say anything about it, however, she split it in half, a perfect cut, handing one half to each of them. "Heh, Quote and Curly Brace, I like it," she smiled. "You two… you were made for each other, I can tell." She then jumped back into mid air.

"I know I've done many horrible things, and I really want to make up for it. That crystal, I enchanted it before giving it to you. If the two of you need me, all you have to do is put it back together and believe. I'll be there before you know it!"

Quote looked at the item she had given him, and Misery began to slowly float away.

"Wait!" Quote did not say it. Misery turned back around to see Curly, with a slightly happy face, saying, "you don't have to go… I mean, you… You can stay if you want." Quote was not expecting this from Curly, but he didn't have a problem with it either.

A moment passes before Misery's face returns to a smirk and she speaks out in her usual pompous voice, saying, "Ha! Stay with you guys? Not in my life!" she laughed a bit, "Seriously, though… thanks for the offer, but..." She looks at the sky, "I've got a whole new world to explore! I'm going to make the most of it that I can, which includes tonight!"

Slightly dismayed, but happy none the less, Curly doesn't respond for a few seconds, then gives a quick nod of approval anyways.

Seeing this, Misery could feel the sadness as well, but she couldn't turn back now. "Well, I guess I can do one last thing for now…" She said, floating, with a mischievous smile, as if up to no good.

"What is it, Misery?" Quote responds.

Facing back towards the lake and the hill, Misery, begins to fly off, yelling one last comment before disappearing: "You'll see!"

Quote and Curly, left confused for a little, walk back out to the clearing where they had been sleeping. The two sat back down and watched the sky where she had flown off to.

"Quote, I…", She began, leaning in and putting her arms around him. "I think she's alright." She finished, with a comforted and happy voice.

"Me too…" He replied, placing his arms around her as well. _Misery was right_, he thought, his feelings for Curly growing ever stronger, ever closer. "Hey, um, Curly…" he started, semi-nervously.

She turned her head to him looking hopeful, "…Yeah?"

"Curly, I-"

He stopped. She had stopped as well. High above them, in the sky, they witnessed hundreds of shooting stars streaking across the sky. They were also pretty sure they could hear the distant laughter of a far off acquaintance. They knew it was the work of Misery. They both sat, watching the spectacle for at least a minute before talking again.

"I love you, Quote," Curly said, catching him off guard.

It was unexpected, however, it was extremely comforting. He held her closer, with a simple reply. "I love you too, Curly."


End file.
